Ghost Busters

The Top 10 Scare Attractions in the Tristate ...

What are the most successful Halloween attractions? While few are handing out precise attendance or ticket revenue numbers, we can gaze into our crystal ball and produce a pretty good guess at the Top 10 (most begin operations at the end of September or the first weekend of October):

No. 1: FEARFESTAn estimated 250,000 people attend Kings Island’s annual fright show, surely the monster of all scare-fests in Greater Cincinnati. Menacing attractions include a terrifying three-ring carnival of souls, an asylum run by its inmates, and a crypt where you’ll find yourself screaming for your Mummy. There’s more. Coney Mall becomes Coney Maul, a creepy experience featuring a walk-through maze. And the only open pathway to Flight of Fear becomes the PsychoPath, a foggy parade of shadows. Expect the regular lineup of crazed clowns, demented radio DJs, manic mummies and gruesome spirits, as well. Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Dr., Mason. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, beginning Sept. 28 and concluding Oct. 28. $37.95 adults, $29.95 children under 48 inches. 513/754-5700 or www.cedarfair.com.

No. 2: HALLZooWEENA not-too-shabby 73,055 people attended the Cincinnati Zoo last October, many to check out “HallZOOween,” the annual non-scary entertainment for those little ghouls and goblins in the family. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. Noon to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through October. $12.95 adults, $10.95 senior citizens and $7.95 children ages 2 to 12. 513/475-6124 or www.cincinnatizoo.org.

No. 4: HAUNTED VILLAGEIchabod Crane could well lose his head over this one, as some 8,000 people attend this homage to Sleepy Hollow each year. The historical Heritage Village transforms into an hysterical “Haunted Village,” when all ten different village buildings take on an eerie atmosphere after dark. Look for a ghost train, haunted graveyard, spooky seance, trick-or-treat bags loaded with favors, hayrides, straw maze, and more. Sharon Woods Park, I-275 (exit 46) at U.S. Route 42 (11450 Lebanon Pike), Sharonville. 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 12-14, Oct. 19-21 and Oct. 26-28. $10 adults, $7 children 3-12. 513/563-9484.

No. 5: SHOCKTOBER“Shocktober” may or may not be taking a breather this year, according to museum officials. The space, which is in part occupied by the traveling exhibit Pirates, has traditionally featured a crazed museum curator guiding visitors through galleries of curiosities, body parts, wax figures, a “Chamber of Horrors” and more. Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate. 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays, 4 to 10 p.m. Saturdays, 4 to 8 p.m. Sundays. Family friendly hours (recommended for children 8 and under) are 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, select weekends in October. $7.25, seniors $6.25, children ages 3-12 $5.25. 513/287-7000 or www.cincymuseum.com.

No. 6: U.S.S. NIGHTMAREThe “U.S.S. Nightmare,” run by BB Riverboats, is Northern Kentucky’s largest ghostly attraction as well as the area’s only haunted steamboat. Special effects include 100 animations and a 3-D Vortex Tunnel. Riverboat Row, Newport, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning Sept. 21 and running through October, plus Halloween night. $15. 859/261-8500 or www.ussnightmare.com.

No. 7: LOVELAND CASTLE’S SCARY KNIGHTSTake a haunting stroll into Medieval madness at Loveland Castle, a one-fifth scale replica of a 10th-century Norman structure. The castle provides a perfect moody setting for the season, as candle-lit rooms flicker eerily and stone archways mask various lurking villains. A dozen or so monsters hang out in the hallways and steep stairwells, including the bloody Warrior Monk, swordsmen and the odd hangman. Loveland Castle, 12025 Shore Dr., Loveland. 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 12-13, Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27. $6, $5 age 12 and under. 513/683-4686 or www.lovelandcastle.com.